Consuming Consumables

Okay, I have more than just one problem <smile>. Let me rephrase: I have a problem with consumables. My problem is that I hate to consume consumables. I hate using them because, once I do, they're gone! Consumed. No longer in my inventory. Unusable. Unavailable. Depleted.

This problem extends from pens to health packs in video games. For years I refused to floss because doing so consumed the dental floss. My super-cool Space Pen suffers from a similar issue: I think it's awesome. And so, even though I could use it underwater, I don't use it at all. Perhaps because I could use it underwater I don't use it in daily life. 'Never know when I'd need to write underwater,' is the thinking. 'I'll save it for when I really need it.'

I was reminded of my space pen this morning when I noticed the spiral notebook I have living under my desk plant:

Notebook and Plant (and pen)

The notebook has an aluminum cover and faintly textured pages, making it almost as spiffy as my Moleskine. Both notebooks are incredibly cool ...and completely blank. I haven't been able to come up with anything worthy of marring their pristine pages. And where in the world would I find another aluminum-covered notebook?

If you also struggle with consuming consumables which are too cool or perceived to be too difficult to acquire, I've got a suggestion for your homeschool. If you're still struggling with the dental floss thing, I can't help you. The issue is still too close to me...

...where was I?

If you are going to reuse your Core programs (or use it with more than one student), I highly recommend that you purchase the few consumables you'll need for the coming year(s). That way you won't run into the problem I have of not daring to touch them because you'll have exactly as many as you'll need. And you won't have to worry about those items getting replaced with new editions which no longer match your current program.

Can't find what you're looking for? Want some advice from another homeschool mom before you purchase? Just feel the need to talk over your options? Please don't hesitate to chat with a Sonlight Avisor. The Advisors are here to answer your questions and help you avoid missing consumables. Whether you choose to consume those items later or not is another matter entirely...

And I've done exactly as you said, bought extras. Really worked out well for me when the science was updated between when my dds used science 5. When my younger started it last spring, I had the activity sheets that she needed, no pain on my part since I wasn't upgrading.

I always forget to buy the consumables - ALWAYS... I always forget things like the geography songs workbook... and then I really kick myself when my order arrives because it costs such a fortune to ship for just one or two items... so then I look for friends traveling to the States ... very distressing!!!

I like to enjoy the things I have. If anything, I don't hold enough sacred. I find maintenance difficult.

I have a dear friend whose husband is like you, and it DRIVES HER NUTS. He doesn't want her to take their 4x4 out on dirt roads (not off-roading, mind you, but regular dirt roads) because it'll cause undue wear and tear on the suspension. And the like. He tried to require her to not let her kids play on the hardwood floor (in their 1000 s.f. ONLY hardwood floored home) because the kids' dings might harm the floor. Et al.

Whew, I take for granted how compatible my husband and I are! unfortunately we're also both very messy, but at least we don't point fingers LOL. Hopefully the consumables for the K Core won't change next year because when I buy the 1st grade one, I'll go ahead and buy extra consumables from the K Core for when my baby is in K...in 4 years lol

well, i did that, i saved the consumables. But Sonlight upgraded the science curriculum. And I love the upgraded curriculum. So I upgraded my daughter to the new curriculum and use some of the old one that I saved as addition topics :)Now, i don't save them anymore. Besides, if i order more than 1 at a time, do i still qualify for repurchase discount?

One thing that is very difficult for me is deciding how many "extra" of something to buy. Will Woodjie ever use it? Will he ever read and write, or what can I reasonably expect? It's emotionally trying in some ways, ordering this stuff.

Some kids like their own stuff. Especially in a very large family. As I see it consumables are a better investment than designer jeans or movies you seldom watch twice. I hate consuming, but I sometimes think my frugality borders on hoarding. Sometimes you just have to let the kids eat all the fruit in the fridge in one day and be OK with it. There is a pride my children get from seeing a book completed. I don't think they would feel the same watching all their hard work erased.